Networking architectures have grown increasingly complex in communications environments. In recent years, a series of protocols and architectures have been developed in order to accommodate a diverse group of end users having various needs. Some of these protocols relate to issues associated with handoffs.
As both public and private network systems grow in size and in sophistication, proper routing and efficient management of communication sessions and data flows becomes even more critical. Advances in technology have resulted in the deployment of various types of wireless networks. However, while most of these wireless networks often provide service to adjacent and/or overlapping physical spaces, most cellular and enterprise network protocols are incompatible and suffer from inadequate signaling between the two. In particular, handoff scenarios or signaling involving these two platforms are deficient. Additionally, battery consumption for mobile devices attempting to utilize both network can be less than desirable. Accordingly, the ability to provide an effective mechanism to properly handoff communications for an end user seeking to realize the benefits provided by multiple network environments, while minimizing power consumption, offers a significant challenge to network operators, component manufacturers, and system designers.